17,077 reasons why things are different today for Flyers

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say this is probably not what the Flyers had in mind.

On Monday they stunned everybody by firing - not coach Dave Hakstol - but rather General Manager and Flyers' icon Ron Hextall.

Tuesday morning, team President Paul Holmgren and Comcast-Spectacor boss Dave Scott held a press conference to talk about it. Holmgren said Hextall had to go because he was "unyielding" in his plan to rebuild the team.

Tuesday night the Flyers "yielded" three goals in a space of five minutes in the third period, in the process blowing a 3-1 and losing to the Ottawa Senators at the Wells Fargo Center.

I have my own theory as to what is going on with the Flyers.

Yes, it has something to do with wins and losses.

But it's more than that.

One of the most legendary numbers in Philadelphia sports is 17,077. That was capacity at the team's original home, the Spectrum. Fans packed into every nook and cranny of the quaint old building to watch their beloved Flyers.

That number never changed. Come hell or high water, including back-to-back Stanley Cups in the mid-'70s, 17,077 people would go through the turnstiles.

The joke used to be that the number also represented the number of hockey fans in the region.

They proved that false when they moved across the street into the swanky new home that Ed Snider built for his hockey team.

I'm not even sure what bank holds the naming rights these days, Wells Fargo I guess.

Capacity at the new sports mecca is upwards of 20,000.

But the place is not the same as the Spectrum. It was one of the loudest sports domains in sports. The fans were right on top of the ice - and the players. The noise only added to the intimidation factor of the Broad Street Bullies. Most teams were beaten before they ever stepped on the ice.

This was before the age of huge TV deals and luxury boxes.

The game is not the same.

Neither is attendance.

It used to be impossible to score a Flyers ticket.

Now you routinely find them on StubHub and other outlets - often at a discount.

That must not sit very well with season ticket holders who are paying top dollar to sit in the Wells Fargo Center.

The Flyers used to be impervious to the ups and downs of fans.

Not anymore.

Interest is on the wane.

The Flyers are no longer immune to the fate of every other team in sports.

It's something the Phillies learned after the charm of Citizens Bank wore off, and even after they won a World Series and went back to another one.